Pam Bondi Tailors DOJ to Align with Trump’s Priorities

The appointment of Pam Bondi as attorney general by President Donald Trump last autumn elicited sighs of relief among some Democratic factions and legal professionals.

Trump’s initial choice, then-Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who faced a Justice Department investigation related to sex trafficking allegations — which he denied and were ultimately not pursued — was perceived as a selection made for his unwavering loyalty to Trump, irrespective of ethical or legal considerations.

In contrast, Bondi was regarded as a seasoned legal expert, having served as Florida’s attorney general for a decade. Although she had been one of Trump’s attorneys during his first impeachment trial and endorsed his unfounded theories regarding the 2020 election, both Democrats and Republicans familiar with her believed she would challenge Trump in ways Gaetz would not and would refuse any requests for illegal or unethical actions.

However, since Bondi’s takeover, the Justice Department has been functioning in stark contrast to the practices established during the last 50 years following Attorney General John Mitchell’s imprisonment for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Critics argue that instead of ending the politicization she claims occurred under the Biden administration, Bondi has initiated her own form of politicization. The Trump administration, with Bondi’s involvement, seems intent on transforming the Justice Department into a political tool for the president — a process unseen since the Nixon era.

“The Justice Department is not independent of the President of the United States,” stated Mike Davis, a lawyer and Republican activist who has counseled Trump on DOJ issues and insists Bondi is fulfilling Trump’s promises. “Every federal prosecutor and agent reports to the deputy attorney general, who reports to the attorney general, who reports to the president, elected by all Americans. Anyone who believes otherwise is supporting the notion of a ‘Deep State’ as a non-conspiracy.”

“President Trump is doing the unimaginable in Washington — he’s adhering to his commitments to voters, and Pam Bondi is assisting him,” he continued. “She has accomplished more in a month than several preceding attorneys general did in years.”

During her first month, Bondi oversaw a dismissal of numerous career Justice Department lawyers, who, despite protections under civil service rules, were either fired or reassigned without clear explanations, according to current and former officials cited by NBC News. She also supported efforts within her department to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams to better facilitate immigration enforcement, precipitating the largest wave of resignations by career prosecutors since Watergate. Furthermore, she remained silent as Ed Martin, the acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., issued threats against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Georgetown University concerning political issues. Notably, she also indicated her intent to dismiss DOJ civil servants who “despise” Trump, a move experts claim is against federal law.

“These firings seem intended to create space for political loyalists, individuals who will execute the White House’s directives, profoundly altering the department into something unprecedented,” remarked a senior career Justice Department official anonymously due to fear of consequences.

Bondi has openly embraced partisan rhetoric during six appearances on Fox News, her exclusive media interviews.

In a conversation with Sean Hannity, she expressed shock upon discovering on her first day that portraits of former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and her predecessor, Merrick Garland, were still displayed in secure areas of the National Security Division’s 7th floor at the Justice Department headquarters.

“That’s how severe the situation was,” she told Hannity. “So I personally took those down. But that’s merely the beginning.”

Bondi informed Hannity of her plans to “root out” Justice Department employees who “despise Donald Trump,” affirming they “will no longer have jobs.”

White House spokesman Harrison Fields countered claims that Trump was attempting to seize control of the Justice Department, stating, “President Trump explicitly stated that his Department of Justice will act independently of the White House, and any contrary assertion is false.”

This stance contrasts starkly with Trump’s previous interactions with the Justice Department and reflects a viewpoint held by many of his legal allies.

Bondi declined an interview request, instead issuing a statement to NBC News: “This Department of Justice is committed to enhancing America’s safety, focusing on prosecuting violent offenders, illegal aliens, and dangerous cartel and gang members previously overlooked by the last administration. The Department is dedicated to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice is equitable for all Americans.”

Outside of media appearances, Bondi has rarely been seen publicly as attorney general. She was photographed alongside senior national security officials, sharing a moment expertly captured by FBI Director Kash Patel, wearing a camouflage hat and windbreaker at Dulles Airport when an accused terrorist arrived from Pakistan.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, three Justice Department officials across various sectors noted Bondi’s absence from DOJ offices.

“Garland sent a positive note to DOJ upon his arrival,” noted one official. “Conversely, she reached out through talk shows to highlight the corruption she alleges exists in DOJ and FBI.”

Another official observed that new attorney generals typically engage with the staff at Justice Department headquarters, but in Bondi’s case, the atmosphere feels “like a ghost town.”

That may change on Friday, when Trump is set to deliver a speech at the building — a site where, just months prior, prosecutors were working to attempt to incarcerate him.

A tumultuous beginning and significant transformation

Just days following her swearing-in, Bondi addressed the media in the seventh-floor conference room of the Justice Department, flanked by federal agents in black jackets labeled “FBI,” “ATF Police,” and “DEA.” Beside her stood a woman whose daughter had been killed by an illegal immigrant.

“We’re here today because we have brought charges against the state of New York. We have levied charges against Kathy Hochul,” she began. “This denotes a new DOJ, and we are implementing measures to safeguard Americans.”

Reporters in attendance were momentarily taken aback. Did Bondi mean criminal charges? Was the governor of New York on the verge of arrest?

It soon became apparent she was referring to a civil lawsuit, not a criminal charge. The Justice Department was suing New York for policies claimed to hinder immigration enforcement. No one was facing jail time.

Though this minor verbal slip seemed trivial, some observers interpreted it as indicative of an attorney general lacking command over her material.

Nevertheless, Bondi’s overarching message was clear: the Justice Department would take action against states and localities adhering to “sanctuary” policies that limit local enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

It was no coincidence that Bondi began her press conference by discussing immigration. Upon her first day in office, she issued several directives signifying a fundamental change in the Justice Department’s objectives. She dissolved a task force dedicated to seizing assets from Russian oligarchs and curtailed an FBI initiative aimed at countering foreign influence operations on social media.

The directives predominantly highlighted a recurring theme: many of the initiatives being dismantled or diminished were ones that Trump and his allies alleged had been misappropriated to investigate them. Moving forward, the Justice Department would now prioritize immigration law enforcement and combatting Mexican drug cartels that import fentanyl.

In recent weeks, more memoranda from senior Justice Department leaders obtained by NBC News have instructed federal prosecutors to pursue immigration offenses as aggressively as possible, with segments of the FBI and DOJ, including those focused on terrorism and organized crime, being redirected to concentrate on illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Bondi’s aides have been directing various media outlets, including NBC News, to highlight an array of what they consider significant achievements by the Justice Department since Trump assumed office.

Included in their accomplishments are the arrest and extradition from Pakistan of a suspect implicated in the killing of 13 service members at the Abbey Gate terrorist attack; Mexico’s cooperation in handing over 29 drug cartel figures, including a kingpin accused of orchestrating the death of a DEA agent; threats of federal lawsuits against states concerning transgender women competing in women’s sports; the cessation of lawsuits initiated under Biden perceived by Bondi as endorsing racially discriminatory policies; and the establishment of a federal task force aimed at combating antisemitism on university campuses.

However, a significant shift in law enforcement priorities as a new president takes office is neither unexpected nor unusual. Administrations have historically defined policy priorities for the Justice Department that vary between administrations, and Trump campaigned on a platform focused on stringent immigration enforcement and drug cartel crackdowns.

What remains striking and unprecedented about Trump’s second tenure overseeing the Justice Department is the extent to which he seeks to reshape the career workforce to align with a more compliant and loyal agenda.

The vast majority of the roughly 100,000 employees within the Justice Department, the FBI, and related agencies are not appointed by the president but rather are career civil servants recruited under federal regulations intended to protect them from politically motivated actions.

Just days following Trump’s inauguration, more than a dozen senior officials in the national security and criminal divisions were removed from their positions — unprecedented actions relative to other post-Watergate administrations. Many were reassigned to a working group addressing sanctuary cities, with a mix of acceptance and departures among them.

The Justice Department also quickly terminated several prosecutors involved in investigations into Trump, despite there being no allegations of misconduct. Experts argue these firings may be illegal, yet many affected attorneys have chosen to move forward rather than contest them. This past Friday, several other senior figures were reassigned, including leading lawyers in the national security division and the office overseeing attorney misconduct.

On Tuesday, NBC News reported that the Justice Department was significantly downsizing the Public Integrity Section, historically committed to prosecuting political corruption and involved in investigations against Trump. Staff members were being instructed to transfer to alternative positions within the department.

Bondi has not yet appointed individuals to fill several key roles vacated during this shake-up. Sources indicate the national security division, in particular, is lacking senior leaders. However, numerous Justice Department officials believe that individuals aligning with Trump’s ideology are being promoted to senior roles.

One official noted witnessing a rank-and-file attorney who supported Trump abruptly stop attending work, only to later surface in a special assignment within the deputy attorney general’s office, then subsequently rise to lead the criminal division at a prominent U.S. attorney’s office.

Not the president’s lawyer

This evolution is unprecedented. Over the past five decades, the Justice Department has embraced policies and norms to insulate itself from presidential political influence.

These policies include restrictions on White House communication with Justice Department personnel. Garland, for instance, prioritized maintaining distance from the White House, even avoiding being in the same room as Biden, who reportedly became frustrated with Garland’s handling of the investigation into his son, Hunter Biden.

Attorneys general from both political parties have historically underscored that they are not acting as the president’s lawyers, but rather represent the American people.

In contrast, Bondi has trumpeted her close ties to Trump during her Fox News appearances, expressing pride in being part of a team that executes his directives.

“We have known each other for years, and many of us are friends, which makes a significant difference,” she told Fox News host Jesse Watters. “That’s why we are quickly achieving results for Donald Trump and striving to make America great again.”

Bondi further proclaimed to Hannity about the dismissal of prosecutors involved in Trump’s criminal prosecutions under special counsel Jack Smith, many of whom had long and distinguished careers within the Justice Department.

“The Jack Smith team, gone,” she asserted. “That was low hanging fruit. We got rid of them, we eliminated those who raided Mar a Lago.”

Supporters of Trump, including Davis, have publicly defended these dismissals as necessary and justified, alleging that the Justice Department and the FBI had been commandeered by covert Democrats aligned with the Biden administration to target Trump without merited evidence.

A Justice Department official speaking anonymously shared that leaders felt they could not trust attorneys who had invested years attempting to prosecute the president to fulfill his policy goals.

Bondi has herself expressed this perspective, frequently condemning what she deems the “weaponization” of the Justice Department during the previous administration.

“They targeted Donald Trump,” she stated during her confirmation hearing. “They pursued him. This began in 2016, with their focus on his campaign. They have instituted countless investigations against him, which will not occur during my tenure as attorney general.”

Nevertheless, Bondi and other Trump supporters have failed to provide evidence supporting the claim that career FBI and Justice Department officials pursued investigations and prosecutions against Trump to politically disadvantage him. They have dismissed assertions from Smith and other prosecutors that they genuinely believed Trump had breached the law regarding classified documents and perpetuated a false narrative about the 2020 election fraud—ultimately resulting in the Capitol riot.

Shortly after her appointment, Bondi proclaimed the establishment of a “weaponization working group” tasked with reviewing Trump’s legal challenges. This group likely has access to all communications—texts, emails, and memos—from Smith and his team, potentially uncovering evidence of misconduct or bias if it exists; critics insist this evidence should be made public.

Dave Aronsberg, a Democrat who served as district attorney of Palm Beach County until January and has collaborated closely with Bondi, expressed relief upon her appointment as attorney general. Aronsberg conveyed to NBC News this week his belief that Bondi would still oppose Trump if he sought her to act illegally.

“While she is loyal to Trump,” he stated, “I still believe she will not pursue charges against Trump’s adversaries purely for political reasons. This differentiates her from Matt Gaetz and others who might have taken the role.”